Alot of complaints about NFL netwok and thursday games...

[Caveman_Nick]

If people don't watch the Thursday and Saturday games,they will stop airing them.

 

I don't watch. I don't like it. Football belings on Sundays, and as a long standing tradition I can accept MNF. That's all the time I have to give.

[Big Score 1]

The fact of the matter is this; how can you get pissed or call a company greedy for bidding & getting something that will ultimately make money for their company. If we watch the games, they will continue to broadcast on Thursdays. If we don't and ratings go down they will either change the night or forego bidding next time around.

 

FYI jgcoach,

 

There was no "bidding" for the NFL Network.

 

I think you're getting the NFL Network confused with the Sunday Ticket.

 

The NFL said this is the cost for our network without games, this is the cost with games, take it or leave it.

 

Also, in quite a few instances, the NFL Network has point blank refused to allow cable companies to carry their channel unless they show it as part of their basic cable package.

[Teacon]

Where I live, it's not even easy going to a bar to watch the game.

 

Most of the smaller bars -- the places I prefer going for beer or football -- have Sunday Ticket and the local cable standard tier. Those with Sunday Ticket have to pay an extra fee if they want to get the NFL Network games (like the Sunday Ticket, bars have to pay a higher fee). No smaller bar I know will do it because the fee cannot be justified by increased revenue as most of the games are games no one cares about outside of the hardcore fanatics who already have the NFL Network (and usually the Sunday Ticket).

 

So, if I want to see a Thursday or Saturday game, I have to go to a national chain bar -- the places I can't stand (like Hooters) -- with chain-wide negotiated satellite contracts that includes the NFL Network.

 

I love their product of course, but if the NFL thinks I'm going to start planning my life around how to accomodate their business model -- and that includes paying extra just to watch their games on TV -- it ain't gonna happen. There are lots of entertainment and sports options out there besides NFL football. I used to be a hardcore baseball fan, too, but I had no trouble ending that relationship.

 

Not only that, but in one of my Super Bowl games this week, I had to pick between Favre and Vick, and with the Vick injury sketchy and being forced to make a decision by Thursday ...

 

 

 

I feel the need to clarify something for you.........

Do you own a cel phone?

Do you have cable or satellite?

Do you have internet? (a rhetorical question of course...)

Do you pay one of the annual fee required of many protection programs for your computer, the fee that gets the update you need to max protect?

 

Point: The NFL is following the NEW business model, what I like to call the internet model. Why not charge something monthly to keep milking the dough consistently? Think about the answers to the above questions (which may be answered w/a question)......

 

Cel? Why do you think the companies offer you FREE phones???? Because they AREN'T FREE! After they have you down w/the two year contract they have the phone paid for plus profitt. I'm old enough to remember what it was like to live when there were no cels and MANY times I have easily figured Icould get rid of it and not miss a beat!

Cable/Satellite? Why do you think they offer the "first 6 months FREE"? Need you have the explained to you too??

Same for the internet, same for the "protection programs".

 

This IS the new model Sparky, and we have been falling for it hook-line & sinker for about 15-20 years already. The NFL figures that and once the shock wears off, the public will pony up again. I have the Network because I have a Cuban wife who HAS to have her hispanic channels from directv. The channel comes with that including the games. If they jack it up, I'll be gone.

[Chief Dick]

I feel the need to clarify something for you.........

Do you own a cel phone?

Do you have cable or satellite?

Do you have internet? (a rhetorical question of course...)

Do you pay one of the annual fee required of many protection programs for your computer, the fee that gets the update you need to max protect?

 

Point: The NFL is following the NEW business model, what I like to call the internet model. Why not charge something monthly to keep milking the dough consistently? Think about the answers to the above questions (which may be answered w/a question)......

 

Cel? Why do you think the companies offer you FREE phones???? Because they AREN'T FREE! After they have you down w/the two year contract they have the phone paid for plus profitt. I'm old enough to remember what it was like to live when there were no cels and MANY times I have easily figured Icould get rid of it and not miss a beat!

Cable/Satellite? Why do you think they offer the "first 6 months FREE"? Need you have the explained to you too??

Same for the internet, same for the "protection programs".

 

This IS the new model Sparky, and we have been falling for it hook-line & sinker for about 15-20 years already. The NFL figures that and once the shock wears off, the public will pony up again. I have the Network because I have a Cuban wife who HAS to have her hispanic channels from directv. The channel comes with that including the games. If they jack it up, I'll be gone.

 

 

Methinks you are wrong here Teac. Just my opinion. They lost me on this one.

[Vet]

The message I sent them:

 

To whom it may concern:

 

In my local market (Kansas City), I have Everest Communications for my cable provider. They offered NFL Network on their digital tier, which I gladly upgraded to. Lo and Behold, when it comes time for NFL Network to broadcast the NFL games on said NFL Network (which I thought I was paying for), you decide to try and stick it to Everest Communications and me and charge us EXTRA for those games. So in essence, you are telling ME, your CUSTOMER, that the money I am already spending for your channel isn't quite enough, so you want me to pay more. Needless to say this has me pretty pissed off, and I hope Everest tells you greedy bastards to go screw yourselves.

 

As a matter of fact, my plan is to cancel that tier because I don't want my hard earned dollars to go to a conglomerate like the NFL who obviously can't figure put what to do with the billions of dollars you already make off of the NFL fans. Enough is enough, and it seriously taints my love for the NFL. Which is a shame, because I really enjoy NFL football. But this whole greedy mess leaves a terrible taste in my mouth, and I for one am sick of this shameless milking of every possible dollar.

 

 

 

Well said.

 

That is exactly what the NFL wants you to say. I'm sure they forwarded that on to your cable provider. They want you to cancel your digital tier. If enough people cancel their digital cable because they don't get the NFL Network games, it gives the NFL more leverage to go to the cable companies and say that they should be part of the basic cable package - at $2.50 per month per subscriber, of course. The NFL would much rather collect $2.50 per month from every cable subscriber in the country (like ESPN does) than be offered as a "premium" channel and only be able to charge those who watch the games. Once they have that steady stream of subscription revenue coming in, then they can go to advertisers and say - "look, we're in 80 million homes" and hike up the advertising fees significantly. Then they have the best of both worlds - they collect $2.50 per month from everyone with cable television, and they milk advertisers. It's a great business model if you can pull it off. So far, ESPN has been the most successful at it.

 

If they are unable to strong-arm the cable providers over the next few years, they will at least threaten to - and perhaps actually will someday - put ALL NFL games on the NFL network and make it a subscriber network. Then you'd either have to pay-per-view, or subscribe to a package that would give you all the games - like Direct TV's NFL Package. I think that would be suicide for the sport, because it would become more of a specialty sport and you'd eventually lose the next generation of fans (i.e. only kids of NFL fans who pay for the games would see football games as opposed to all kids getting to watch NFL games). But stupider things have been done in sports and marketing.

 

Of course, none of this can happen until the current television contract is up. So mission #1 is to get the NFL Network into as many homes as possible before the next round of negotiations. The worst thing that could happen as far as the NFL is concerned would be that people simply don't give a crap about the Thursday and Saturday games. But right now, they are very happy to have people complaining as it gives them better leverage with the cable companies.

 

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. It will be really interesting to see how NFL games are broadcast 10 years from now. The NFL generates more money than any other sport, but I guarantee you it will be people (companies) fighting over that money that will someday ruin it.

 

OK - let me hop down off my soapbox.....

[Caveman_Nick]

If they are unable to strong-arm the cable providers over the next few years, they will at least threaten to - and perhaps actually will someday - put ALL NFL games on the NFL network and make it a subscriber network.

 

And that would be the end of my NFL fandom.

[Teacon]

Methinks you are wrong here Teac. Just my opinion. They lost me on this one.

 

 

I don't think I'm wrong, but I appreciate the honesty....I hope they lost you because losing the fan is the only way to stop the slide. Problem is, it probably already is an avalanche, we just don't know it yet. I remember 4 games a week shown and I can go back to it. IF they go all NFL net and make it basically pay per view (predictions of this have existed for a number of years now), I'll be gone. F-'em.....it may be sacralige to saw, but I CAN do without it. I'm a teacher w/a second business and a family. While football is a passionate past time for me, I can do without it. ......Don't want to, but can.

Edited December 24, 2006 by Teacon

[Chief Dick]

I don't think I'm wrong, but I appreciate the honesty....I hope they lost you because losing the fan is the only way to stop the slide. Problem is, it probably already is an avalanche, we just don't know it yet. I remember 4 games a week shown and I can go back to it. IF they go all NFL net and make it basically pay per view (predictions of this have existed for a number of years now), I'll be gone. F-'em.....it may be sacralige to saw, but I CAN do without it. I'm a teacher w/a second business and a family. While football is a passionate past time for me, I can do without it. ......Don't want to, but can.

 

 

Agreed. I'm just getting tired of the nickel and dime crap that seems to have entered all facets of out lives. And after reading your post again, there is some truth to what you say. But I think it goes deeper than that. I honestly think the NFL is in cahoots with Direct TV to try and devalue and change the way we see cable TV. The NFL and Direct TV both benefit tremendously if subscribers cancel their cable service and switch to Direct TV for the NFL Network and the opportunity to buy the Sunday Ticket. This explains why cable companies didn't really have a realistic shot to bid for the Sunday Ticket package.

 

This is going to get really ugly, and I've just had it with the whole stinkin' mess.

[jgcoach]

 

There was no "bidding" for the NFL Network.

 

You're correct, sorry for the mistake. Not that it makes that much difference as to the content of my post. They put out a product to make money. If fans were to stop watching and it wasn't profitable, it would simply go away or be changed in a way the company (airing a different night) to produce a profit.

 

The NFL said this is the cost for our network without games, this is the cost with games, take it or leave it.

 

Look, I don't like the prices attached to many things. If you knew what it cost to produce or put out many items and what the ultimate price to the consumer actually is we'd be saying this about almost every company in existance. And it would be true. That's the way business is, get what you can while you can because it may not be there tomorrow. As far as take it or leave it pricing; go into any retail store and try to bargain. Buy a hot dog at any stadium or sporting event. Is that not price gouging? That's the vendor not the NFL and he's getting it because once you're there, he's the only game in town. Supply and demand.

 

Also, in quite a few instances, the NFL Network has point blank refused to allow cable companies to carry their channel unless they show it as part of their basic cable package.

 

My first reaction to this would be, the NFL wants the product to get out to all the cable subscribers within their basic packages which are cheaper to the consumer. If this were to actually happen I would think; (depending on what it cost the cable company) that it would escalate the price of the basic package somewhat but, would spread it over the entire network of subscribers instead of just a select amount. This way it's less expensive for the subscriber and they get their product out to many more people at the same time.

 

As I've said, I don't agree with much of what the NFL does with pricing their products but, if the demand is there and the product sells it'll never change. Which goes back to what I was saying; fans have a choice, watch or don't watch and this will ultimately drive the market of the product.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2006 by jgcoach

[Nate Dawg]

Another interesting point. Haven't all these games available on NFL Network only reduced the number of games available on Sunday ticket?

 

 

I don't think the NFL Network package reduced the number of games available on NFL Sunday Ticket. Instead, it took games that were being shown free on Saturday afternoons after the college football season. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.